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For Willie it’s midnight
By MILTON RICHMAN
UPI Sports Editor
NEW YORK (UPI) - Willie
lays finally has faced up to it.
"his no longer is the twilight of
iis career. It is closer to
nidnight.
“I’m aware of it,” he says,
penly, candidly and without
ny alarm. “I’d have to be
razy not to be. I know I’m 42,
ot 22 anymore. Nobody goes
n forever. Not many go this
>ng. Stan Musial did. So did
ed Williams.”
Once before in his career
/illie Mays had to peel off his
niform and suddenly quit
laying. That was on May 24,
352 when he was being
iducted into the Army but that
idn’t hurt as much as it does
iis time because he knew he’d
e coming back.
Mays had been in the big
•agues little more than a year
len but he already had
normous appeal.
When they took him out of
le game that day at Ebbets
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\m! i ! i !i i i i ! i ymi | ii!i in
Field in 1952, announcing that
he was leaving for the Army,
even the umpires, who rarely
show any public emotion, joined
the fans in giving Willie an
ovation.
He Returns to Lead NL
Mays missed almost two full
seasons, then returned to the
New York Giants in 1954 and
batted .345 to lead the National
League. He also hit 41 homers
that year and 51 a year later.
Willie'has 660 homers so far
and it is entirely conceivable
had he not gone off to the army
he might have hit, say
conservatively, 35 homers in
1952 and 40 more in 1953. Had
that been the case, you can
figure out who the first man to
break Babe Ruth’s all-time
record would’ve been.
But Willie Mays never brings
that up. All he says is all credit
to his good friend, Hank Aaron.
What Willie hopes to do now
in these last six weeks of the
season with the Mets is help
them win a few ball games and
keep helping some of their
younger players.
“You know why I’m still
playing this year?” he says.
“I’ll tell you why. Only because
I’m back here in New York
where I started and I felt some
people still wanted to see me
play. Look, I know some days
I’m not good, not playing well.
Some days I’m all right though.
I do the best I can. If you
watched the games I played, I
don’t think I played bad.”
He’s Right Up to a Point
Mays is right. Up to a point.
He has played in only 56
games this season and has a
.215 batting average, 22 RBl’s
and 6 homers.
For a man 42 that’s not bad;
for Willie Mays, it’s almost
embarrassing.
One of the few people Willie
generally heeds is Herman
Franks, his old manager with
the Giants, and he says Franks
advised him to quit before the
season began. That wouldn’t
have created any big problem.
Willie simply would’ve been
added to the Mets’ coaching
staff.
“The reason I didn’t quit are
GHS Bears hold
short scrimmage
It didn’t take Coach Max
Dowis long to find out whether
or not his Bears were ready to
hit.
The Bears climaxed their
first training camp practice
with a lively scrimmage.
“We had a good, tough
session,” Coach Dowis said.
“We actually scrimmaged a
few minutes.”
Coaches kept the drill short
because “it was mighty hot” at
the Indians Springs Training
camp.
“We were a little ragged,”
Coach Dowis said. “Coaches
expected that. Our timing was
off in the first scrimmage.”
Coach Dowis scheduled
another hard workout for
Monday afternoon. “We’ll
probably do about the same
thing as we did in the morning
these 25 guys,” he says, looking
around the clubhouse at the
other members of the Mets.
“There are a lotta young
fellas on this club and I felt I
could help them in some way. I
think I have.
“I’m not looking for any
charity. I’m not looking for any
pity. I don’t need any. If I
honestly felt they didn’t want
me around here, I could quit
right now, but I don’t think
there is that kind of feeling
about me. I could be wrong but
I don’t think I am.
Does He Regret Playing?
“Do I regret playing this
year? Only when people come
to me and say ‘you used to hit
.300, now you’re hitting .200.’
They try to ‘down’ you all the
time. I put those kind of people
outta my mind.
“You wanna know the
truth?” he goes on. “It’s a
pleasure to be playing at my
age and doing the things I’m
doing. I honestly think I played
more than anybody thought I
could. At the beginning of the
season they didn’t think I could
play at all. I hurt my arm the
second day of spring training
sessions,” he said.
Coach Dowis is sending his
troops through practice
sessions at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30
p.m.
The 47 players and coaching
Alabama is going
for 3rd straight
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (UPI) -
Alabama has a chance to
become the first school to win
three undisputed Southeastern
Conference football titles in a
row. That probably would be
incentive enough for the 1973
Crimson Tide.
But there’s something else
this year. Coach Bear Bryant’s
players will be fighting for
jersies as well as victories.
No, there’s no jersey shortage
at Alabama. There are plenty
of jersies to go around. Only
two jersies are involved in the
battle —numbers 22 and 54.
No. 22 was worn by Johnny
Musso, Alabama’s great run
ning back of 1969,1970 and 1971,
and No. 54 belonged to Lee Roy
Jordan, star linebacker in 1960,
1961 and 1962.
Both jersies were assigned to
players last season, but this
year is different.
“Don’t give out 22 and 54,”
Coach Bear Bryant has told his
equipment managers. “I want
those to be earned. We can’t
retire numbers around here. If
we did, we’d soon run out of
numbers.”
Eleven starters — six on
offense and seven on defense —
return from last year’s team,
which won 10 games in a row
before losing to Auburn in the
regular season finale and to
Texas in the Cotton Bowl. The
Tide was ranked fourth
nationally.
Although Bryant insists that
“at the end of spring training
we weren’t anywhere near
being a good football team,”
the Tide appears to have a
good chance at the record
breaking title.
Os the eight running backs
shuttled in and out of Alaba
ma’s vaunted wishbone offense
last year, six are back,
including starter Wilbur Jack
son, a senior who averaged
over seven yards per carry in
1972.
Two of the other returning
running backs, Randy Billings
ley and Paul Spivey, each
averaged over five yards per
carry.
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trying to throw the ball too
hard too quickly. It still hurts a
little, but my knees are okay
and so are my legs. My eyes?
They don’t bother me. I can see
anything. I don’t need glasses
yet.”
It is safe to say no player in
the game today has given the
fans as many thrills as Willie
Mays has since he came up to
the Giants in 1951.
Back in those days, he was
the “Say Hey Kid” and his
trade mark was running out
from under his hat. He doesn’t
do that much anymore.
Now he’s finishing up at first
base for the Mets and last
Friday night in a game with
the Reds there was a moment
when many held their breath
for Willie Mays, a centerfielder
by trade who still has to feel
his way around the bag
occasionally.
Stone Fields Ball
Mets’ pitcher George Stone
fielded a ball topped between
third base and the mound by
Cincinnati’s Johnny Bench.
Stone’s throw was a bit off-line
and the way Mays took it, he
made a perfect target for the
staff left for camp Sunday.
They’ll return home next
Saturday.
“Our facilities here are real
nice,” Coach Dowis said.
Quarterback Terry Davis, the
SEC’s player of the year, and
starting running backs Steve
Bisceglia and Joe Labue have
graduated. Gary Rutledge, a
junior, is expected to replace
Davis.
On the offensive line, the top
returning veterans are split end
Wayne Wheeler, who caught 30
passes last year, and tackle
Buddy Brown.
Replacements must be found
for guard John Hannah and
center Jim Krapf, both all-
Americas, who have graduated
and guard Greg Montgomery,
who has been shifted to
linebacker.
“In order to be successful
with an offense like ours, you
have to have strength down the
middle,” Bryant said.
“Sylvester Croom will be the
center. He moved from end. We
have depth at quarterback.
Fullback should be good with
Wilbur Jackson and Ellis Beck
there.”
Defensively, Alabama should
be strongest at linebacker with
1972 starters Wayne Hall,
Chuck Strickland and Mike
Dubose returning and Mont
gomery moving there from
offensive guard.
Bryant is worried about the
secondary, where three starters
-Bobby McKinney, Lanny Nor
ris and Steve Wade have
departed.
“You can get beat quicker in
the secondary than any other
place,” Bryant said.
Outstanding defensive end
John Mitchell also has gradua
ted.
Alabama’s schedule:
Sept. 15, California at Bir
mingham; Sept. 22, at Kentuck
y; Sept. 29, at Vanderbilt; Oct.
6, Georgia; Oct. 13, at Florida;
Oct. 20, Tennessee at Birming
ham; Oct. 27, Virginia Tech;
Nov. 3, Mississippi State at
Jackson; Nov. 17, Miami; Nov.
22, at Louisiana State, and Dec.
1, Auburn at Birmingham.
Page 7
3 • 2: i,..
No longer twilight
husky Bench barreling down on
him.
There could’ve been a terri
ble collision, and Bench,
sensing it immediately, pur
posely slowed down near the
bag.
Still, he went up Willie’s
back, but did it in such away
as not to hurt Mays even
though it meant taking a
tumble himself.
The following day Mays made
BASEBALL
By United Press International
National League
East
w. 1. pct. g.b.
St. Louis 63 61 .508 —
Pittsburgh 59 62 .488 2%
Montreal 59 64 .480 3%
Chicago 58 65 .472 4%
Philadelphia 57 66 .463 5%
New York 55 67 . 451 7
West
w. 1. pct. g.b.
Los Angeles 77 47 .621 —
Cincinnati 76 50 .603 2
San Francisco 68 55 .553 8%
Houston 66 61 .520 12%
Atlanta 60 67 .472 18%
San Diego 45 78 .366 31%
Monday’s Results
Cinci 8 New York 3,16 inns
San Fran 6 Montreal 4,11 inns
Houston 10 Pittsburgh 2
(Only games scheduled)
Today’s Probable Pitchers
(All times EDT)
Cincinnati (Gullett 14-8) at
Chicago (Jenkins 10-12), 2:30
p.m.
San Francisco (Bryant 18-8)
at Montreal (Renko 11-7), 8:05
p.m.
San Diego (Jones 3-3) at
Philadelphia (Brett 12-5), 7:35
p.m.
Los Angeles (Sutton 15-7) at'
New York (Sadecki 2-2), 8:05
p.m.
St. Louis (Wise 13-8) at
Atlanta (Harrison 7-4), 8:05
p.m.
Pittsburgh (Morlan 1-1)7 at
Houston (Wilson 9-13), 8:30
p.m.
Wednesday’s Games
Cincinnati at Chicago
San Diego at Phila, night
San Fran at Montreal, night
Los Ang at New York, night
St. Louis at Atlanta, night
Pittsburgh at Houston, night
American League
East
w. 1. pct. g.b.
Baltimore 69 52 .570 —
Detroit 67 57 .540
Boston 66 57 .537 4
New York 68 59 .535 4
Milwaukee 59 62 .488 10
Cleveland 51 74 .408 20
West
w. 1. pct. g.b.
Oakland 73 51 .589 -
Kansas City 71 55 .563 3
Minnesota 59 64 .480 13Vz
Chicago 58 66 . 468 15
California 56 64 .467 15
Texas 43 79 .352 29
Monday’s Results
Kansas City 6 New York 2
Baltimore 4 Minnesota 3
Boston 5 Texas 4
Oakland 7 Detroit 2
Today’s Probable Pitchers
(All Times EDT)
Chicago (Bahnsen 15-14) at
Cleveland (Tidrow 10-11), 6
p.m.
Detroit (Fryman 5-8) at
Oakland (Holtzman 18-10), 11
p.m.
Milwaukee (Colborn 15-8) at
California (Ryan 14-14), 11 p.m.
Boston (Moret 7-0) at Texas
(Dunning 0-6), 9 p.m.
New York (Peterson 8-11) at
Kansas City (Drago 12-12), 8:30
p.m.
Minnesota (Blyleven 15-12) at
Baltimore (Palmer 17-6), 7:30
p.m.
Wednesay’s Games
Chicago at Cleveland
Detroit at Oakland, night
Milw at California, night
Boston at Texas, night
New York at Kan City, nioht
Minn at Baltimore, night
— Griffin Daily News Tuesday, August 21,1973
it a point to talk to Bench
around the batting cage.
“I know you could’ve got
me,” Willie said, laughing the
way he frequently does. “I
know you could’ve killed me. I
saw you slow down.”
Johnny Bench, self-conscious,
merely smiled. He didn’t say
anything. He didn’t have to
because he knew this was
Willie Mays’ way of saying
thanks.
Southern
All-Stars
OPELIKA, Ala. (UPI)- Col
umbus and Asheville each
landed three players on the
Southern League all-star team
announced Tuesday by league
President Billy Hitchcock.
Columbus, a top contender for
the Eastern Division crown all
season, was represented by two
pitchers—righthander Doug Ko
nieczny, 11-9 with a 2.44 earned
run average, was a unanimous
choice. Rothermel is 8-8 with a
1.82 ERA. Moxey was hitting
.299 and had stolen 29 bases.
Asheville’s selections ,were
catcher Don Hickey, a .286 hit
ter, shortstop Bob Bailor (.285)
and second baseman Rob An
dres (.295).
Al Cowens, a .293 hitter with
14 home runs and 70 runs bat
ted in for the Jacksonville Suns,
was named the all-star third
baseman, while Montgomery’s
Joe Staton, .280, with eight home
runs, landed on the team at first
base.
The other two outfield berths
went to Greg Foreman of Sa
vannah, who had hit 21 home
runs through Tuesday, and Ed
Palat of Orlando, .282 with 16
homers.
Four players tied in the vote
by league city writers for the
all-star team’s utility infielder
position. They are Bob Koeppel
of Orlando, Taylor Duncan of
Asheville, Leon Roberts of Mont
gomery and Frank Ortenzio of
Jacksonville.
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Leading Batters
National League
g. ab r. h. pct.
Rose, Cin 125 523 90 180 .344
Wtsn.Hou 127 472 84 151 .320
Perz.Cin 118 439 55 138 .314
Madox, SF 108 432 56 135 .313
Cedno,Houlos 392 66 122 .311
Unsr.Phil 104 328 49 102 .311
Crdnl, Chi 115 420 65 129 .307
Mthws.SF 112 395 54 121 .306
Hunt.Mtl 109 392 61 120 .306
Bonds, SF 121 477 104 144 .302
Goodsn,SFlo2 384 37 116 .302
Crwfrd,LAll3 361 59 109 .302
American League
g. ab r. h. pct.
Carw.Min 116 452 75 161 .356
Hrtn, Det 83 308 35 100 .325
Mrcr.NY 126 486 67 156 .321
May, Mil 120 489 74 156 .319
Mnsn, NY 117 405 67 126 .311
Otis.KC 121 478 80 146 .305
MAIou,NYIIS 465 60 142 .305
Davs, Bal 104 418 41 127 .304
Scot, Mil 117 449 74 136 .303
Cpeda,Bosll4 444 47 133 .300
Home Runs
National League: Stargell,
Pitt 35; Evans, Atl 34; Bonds,
SF 33; Johnson, Atl 32; Aaron,
Atl 31.
American League: Jackson,
Oak 30; Fisk, Bos, Mayberry
and Otis, KC 24; Robinson, Cal
23.
Runs Batted In
National League: Bench, Cin
90; Stargell, Pitt 89; Evans, Atl
87; Singleton, Mtl 86; Perez,
Cin 83.
American League: Jackson,
Oak 101; Mayberry, KC 93;
Murcer, NY 82; Otis, KC 80;
Scott, Mil 76.
Pitching
National League: Bryant, SF
18-8; Billingham, Cin 16-8;
Seaver, NY 15-6; Sutton, LA 15-
7; Osteen, LA 14-6; Gullett, Cin
14-8.
American League: Wood, Chi
20-18; Holtzman, Oak 18-10;
Coleman, Det 18-11; Palmer,
Balt 17-6; Singer, Cal 16-10.
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